Process of producing alloys or mixtures of metals with purifying or seasoning elements.



UNITED STATES PENT OFFIO,

AUGUSTE J. ROSSI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSLGNOR TO TITANIUM ALLOY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, Y., A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING ALLOYS OR MIXTURES OF METALS WITH PUBIFYING R SEASONING ELEMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 28, 1908.

Application filed March 22 1907- Serial No. 363858.

with Titanic Elements, of which the follow-- ing is a specification.

My present invention relates particularly to those well known processes whereby certain metals in molten state, such as cast iron, steel or copper, are treated by bringin into their presence titanium or its compoun s, for the purpose of imparting to the bath, and thus to 1ts resulting metallic product, desired roperties, and my said invention may also be utilized to advantage in the process of alloying titanium with other metals. When, for instance, iron is to be thus treated, the titanium is usually introduced in the form of socalled ferro-alloys thereof, or of comounds," or mixtures, of iron in somev of its orms with the titanic element, the presence of which is relied on, for such seasoning or purification.

to proceed by a species of dissolution rather than by fusion properly speaking, whereas their rate of fusion of their alloys or compounds seems directly pro ortional to the per cent. of their content 0 other metal, or substance, having lower temperature of fusion. Furthermore the specific gravity of the said titanic elements is decidedly less than that of themetal thereby treated in the bath. Thus, for example, the fusion point of cast iron is from 1250 degrees to 1350 degrees C, and its specific gravity 7 s to 7.2,

while the fusion point of titanium is 2700 de grees to 3000 de rees C and its specific gravity 4.85 and the fusion point of copper is 1065 degrees C and its specific gravity 8.7 to 8.8. Therefore when titanium, or its ferro, or

is the case, the titanic elements alloy with iron, is introduced into a bath of molten iron for thepurpose of purifying or seasoning the latter, it becomes particularly important to maintain as high a temperature as is admissible and especially at the surface of the bath, since the titanium tends to rise and float there. This tendency of titanium to rise, and float upon the surface of the molten metals therewith-sought to be treated under the high temperatures required in the bath, results not only in undesirable reduction of the temperature of the titanium, thus hindering its desired incorporation, but also,

and even more injuriously, in costly losses thereof due to oxidation on approximation to, or contact with the atmosphere under the conditions mentioned.

In cases in which the incorporation of the titanic seasoner has been attempted in the crucible, the difliculties of the problem, in the matter of temperature at least, have proved less insurmountable, owing to the possibility, in such cases, of maintaining the necessary temperature of the bath; but

-when, as is more often the case, the incororation is sought to be effected in the ladle, it has been necessary, in order to accomplish any result prior to undue cooling, to introduce the titanic elements in previously prepared alloys or mixtures thereof with metal. e that of the bath and containing such low percentages or proportionsof the ormer as to be obviously, and for many reasons, undesirable.

- The object of my present invention is to provide an improvement in the aforesaid processes which will largely, if not entirely,

overcome the obstacles described, and insure a more thorough, immediate and less expensive incorporation of said pu 'ng and seasoning titanic elements wlth t e metals thereto treated.

II accomplish-this object, broadly speakcovering, or blanket substantially im ervious to those elements of the atmosp ere which it" is desired tmseparate from contents of the bath.

the

My invention consists, then, in providing the said bath with a comparatively neutral covering, or blanket; consisting of fused ingredents having comparatively small affinity either for oxygen or other elements contained either in the bath or in'the atmosphere, being also a comparatively poor conductor of temperature, and having a lesser specific gravity than" the bath, or, any of its ingredients. Examples of my ,said blanket which I have found particularly efficacious, for the purpose inhand, ma properly be classified under the genera slags. Some of the constituents of ingredients which I have thus employed with success for the purposes mentioned correspond in their combined fused form, in constitution and analysis, to actual slags so called; indeed common slag run from ordinary blast furnaces in the usual production of the lower grades of pig iron; such slag containing a silicate of lime, alumina, and magnesia, is well adapted to constitute my said blanket for the purposes mentioned.

I To be more explicit, my invention may be practiced by obtaining, or producing for the purpose, a slag of the following composition,

which may be termed a blast furnace slag, v1z:

'lhe slag may also advantageously contaln some compound of titanium as say TiO or 'liO, its compositionbeing for instance:

It will however be noted that, without departing from my invention, other slags, or

mixtures of fused ingredients may be employed, as experience, and the special requirements of each case may require, and as will be readily determined in practice by those skilled in the metallurgical art, care being always taken to exclude any constituents detrimental to the metals of the bath.

If operating in the crucible, the slag,- already formed, and'solid, may be charged in along with the metal to be treated,or it may be introduced after fusion of the latter If and along with the titanic elements. operatlng in the ladle, it is preferable to first introduce the titanic elements at the bottom of the ladle, then pour thereover deslgnatlon oxidation point,

the molten metal to be treated and finally add the slag blanket by pouring this in molten state over all.

It will be observed that the blanket of slag is highly beneficial, if only for the purpose of checking heat radiation, and thus retarding the cooling of thecharge in the ladle.

When the incorporation of the titanic element with the metal treated is thought to be as complete as possible, the treated metal will be withdrawn or tapped out into proper molds, leaving the slag which was on the surface available for use to the same effect as before with the next charge, and also fresh additions of molten slag made from time to time as required to supply waste or secure again fluidity. I

The proportion of slageniployed relatively to the entire charge may be varied according to the requirements of each case, it being merely necessary, as a general rule, to have such proportion as to insure, without thereby unduly loading the container of the bath, a blanket, or covering, of the slag sufiiciently thick to efiiciently interfere with reactions between the ingredients of the bath and the atmosphere, and to obstruct, as much as practicable, radiation of heat from the metallic contents of the bath,

, My said blanket, or co vering, will also be found of advantage incases in which the prime object of the operation is merely the production of alloys of titanium with metals of greater specific gravity, and less afiinityfor oxygen under the temperature, of the alloying bath.

1 am aware that a supernatent flux of fusedcryolite or borax has been recommended to insure coating therewith of chromium during introduction of'latter into a bath of molten cryolite or aluminium, said chromium having a high fusing point and a low ut in this instance the specific gravity of the chromium exceeding t at of aluminium, the shid fluxdoes not operate as in my process, nor de l wish to be understood as claiming any such process, or the application of such supernate'nt flux to metals having the relation to each other of aluminium and chromium, as regards specificgravity, fusing and oxidation points.

I am also aware that a layer of undisclosed thickness composed of slag produced bymelting fiuorspar has been-claimed'to be advantagequs when-superim osed overa bath of molten nickel, to whic has been added, to improve it, some magnesium,.or-zino also if an alloy of that metal is desired, but in this 1 instance also both the melting point and the secific gravity of the nickel exceed those of e zinc, or magnesium, and means other than the slag are re uired to-.:leep the zinc submerged in the bat I de 'tiot wish to be understood as claiming such processes or such uses of such a slag blanket.-

What I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is the following, viz

1. The process of producing alloys, or mixtures of titanium with other metal having higher s ecific gravity .and lower melting point, w iich consists in superimposing, and maintaining during fusion on the surface of the bath of said titanium and other metal a non-metallic molten covering having lower specific gravity and heat conductivity than said titanium. Y

2. Theprocss of producing alloysfor mixtures of titanium with other metal having higher specific gravity and lower meltin point, w ich consists in superimposing, an maintaining during fusion on the surface of the bath of'said titanium and other metal a covering of molten slag.

3. The process of producing alloys, or mixtures of titanium with other metal having higher s ecific gravity and lower meltin point, w iich consists in superimposing, and maintaining during fusion on the surface of the bath of said titanium and other metal a covering of molten slag comprising an oxid of titanium.

' 4. The process of producing alloys, or mixtures of titanium with other metal having higher s ecific gravity and lower meltin point, w ich consists in superimposing, an maintaining during fusion 0n the surface of the bath of said titanium and other metal a covering of blast furnace slag.

AUGUSTE J. ROSSI.

Witnesses:

WALTER D. EDMoNDs, PHILIP C. Peers. 

